Cryospheric Sciences News Today

The massive ice sheet that covers about 80 percent of Greenland is the largest single chunk of melting snow and ice in the world and for that reason it is considered the biggest potential contributor to rising sea levels due to glacial meltwater in a warming world.

The loss of the once-sprawling ice fields in Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains has profound implications for local communities, uniquely adapted species, and scientists studying the climate record.

A trek through tropical forest, mud fields, and scree reveals the last remnants of the once-sprawling ice fields in Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains. Their loss has profound implications for local communities, uniquely adapted species, and scientists studying the climate record.


New model examines how coastal ocean currents increase Antarctic ice shelf melt

Credit: Courtesy of Andy Thompson

As global warming melts away Arctic sea ice, polar bears are scrambling to find ice on which to hunt. But Greenland’s fjords harbor a small but unique group of polar bears that rely on glacial ice.

According to an EPFL study, if we take immediate measures to reduce CO2 emissions, we could limit the rise in the temperature of Swiss rivers to 1 degree Celsius between now and 2090 without drastically affecting their discharge. Inaction, on the other hand, would threaten ecosystems and jeopardize the country's agriculture sector and electricity production.

If we take immediate measures to reduce CO2 emissions, we could limit the rise in the temperature of Swiss rivers to 1°C between now and 2090 without…

Climate change makes it particularly important to take a close look at the processes producing changes in glacier landscapes. For this purpose, a research group in Innsbruck is developing new, high-resolution models which enable them to form a detailed understanding of the changes in these ice giants.

A substantial fraction of the freshwater needed to sustain natural and anthropogenic systems has its origin in mountain regions. Mountain areas are highly vulnerable to climate change, and anthropogenically caused changes to mountain hydrology are documented for most major mountain ranges. Yet, our current methods for observing mountain precipitation and its changes are extremely limited due to, high spatial heterogeneity of precipitation in complex topography, sampling biases from preferentiall...